Balaklava Company Steps into Role as King's Guard
1st Dec 2025
Throughout December, Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland will be stepping in as the next King's Guard in London.
Usually, it is soldiers from one of the five Guards' Regiments that visitors to London will see standing sentry outside Buckingham Palace. Occasionally, this honour and privilege is extended to guest regiments.
Balaklava Company are experienced in ceremonial duties, regularly providing guards to Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and Balmoral when the Monarch is in residence. Nonetheless, they underwent much training from Foot Guards instructors in preparation for these Public Duties, culminating in a 'fit-for-role' inspection that determined their readiness to take on these responsibilities.
The official mascot is a Shetland Pony named Cruachan IV, who holds the rank of Corporal. Joining the Regiment in 2012, he has featured in many high profile and ceremonial events in his service.
Their first Guard Mount is on Monday 1st December.
Check the schedule to see when you can see Balaklava Company throughout the month.
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Sergeant Anil Gurung © Crown copyright 2025
History
The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS) was formed in 2006, in an army reorganisation that amalgamated the old Scottish Regiments into one new Regiment. Each old Regiment became a Battalion of the new Regiment.
It now incorporates the following:
2nd Battalion - Royal Highland Fusiliers
3rd Battalion - Black Watch
4th Battalion - Highlanders
5th Battalion - Balaklava Company, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders is the ceremonial unit
Balaklava Company (created in 2012) is named after the Battle of Balaklava in the Crimean War when the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders, along with Guardsmen and some wounded men who were still fighting, formed 'the thin red line' and stopped the Russian cavalry advance. They stood their ground as the cavalry charged and fired a few volleys which drove them back. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders fought in the Boer War and First World War. In The Second World War they fought in North Africa, Crete, Italy and Western Europe. One Battalion fought in Malaya and was captured when Singapore fell and spent the rest of the war as POWs, where many died.
Their ceremonial uniform is a mixture of Lowland and Highland dress traditions to reflect the old Regiments: Green Black Watch Tartan kilts, white spats over their boots, black and red diced hose, horsehair sporran, glengarry side caps.
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